Beauty by any Other Sense
by Cabbit and the Weasel
Summary: She was pleasing to look at, but compared to Ugly, her beauty was only skin deep. SaiXIno hints at SakuXSaiXIno


**I started writing this one night during a lecture in my history of modern art class. I don't see a lot of Ino/Sai works. And when you really think about it, I didn't even think they would end up together, they didn't seem to have much chemistry other than Sai calling her beautiful, you know? So here you go.**

**Just a happy little drabble without a clear idea of where it's going**

**The one shot will probably feel pretty jumbled, I did start this immediately after finishing the current chapter of my Dragon Age fic. And I was too lazy o pretty it up with page breaks so it's one continuous flow from Sai.**

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In the beginning, he called her beautiful in the most technical sense. She was aesthetically pleasing to look at and fit the stereotypical standard of a beautiful young woman; compared to his newest female team mate, whom he called Ugly based on the logic that clashing colors such as pink and green were not supposed to be as pleasing to look at as it really was. Shining blonde hair, long and soft to touch, with eyes as blue as a summer sky. It was the most acceptable form of beauty in society and described. And most often the pretty women in the romance novels he often snuck out of Ugly's room on those nights he and Dickless were too worn-out to leave her apartment after medical treatment after a challenging mission. Eventually, in his impressionable young mind, the physical epitome of beauty became blonde hair and blue eyes.

However, in terms of personality, his team mates had a sickeningly beautiful sense of loyalty to those they stick themselves to, they had her beat. And despite the nicknames, he would admit to the early, odd pull of long hidden hormones to his only female team mate. She was the kindest out of all of Team Kakashi after all, she had made the most effort to get him accustom to their rhythm.

Sometimes, if he had asked as nicely as an emotionally impaired Anbu could ask, she would let him draw her. Ugly had her own form of beauty, it was shy, and sometimes hard to find hidden behind the tough shell of genius and temper apprenticeship under of Godaime Hokage provided. And in those times, he would shamelessly run a hand through locks of pink hair that surprised him at how soft they were to touch. He would make her embarrassed and uncomfortable sometimes. He liked to make her uncomfortable too. Sakura had always been patient with him when he asked to draw her and the pink that powdered her cheeks always made the watercolor paintings of her he had locked away that much more pleasing to look at in the comfort of his own home.

During those early times on Team Kakashi he hadn't had a lot of interaction with Ugly's childhood friend whom he had superficially called Beautiful. So at the start, his strongest female relationship had been with Sakura. Later on through the years this special connection he had with his pink haired team mate stayed as strong as ever, much to the chagrin of the last Uchiha after his return.

When he and the broken Team Kakashi first ran into Beautiful's team he recalls the first words out of his mouth were:

"Hello, Beautiful."

Even though his social etiquette was sorely lacking during those first few weeks of camaraderie he must have done something right. Since before the attractive blonde could even finish her back handed comment to Ugly her mouth clamped shut with an audible snap and her cheeks flushed a very bright red. It was a truly wonderful color at the time and sometimes he wished he could go back in time to capture the moment in color.

Then, after a very rocky lunch with the two teams he hadn't seen much of her. Most of his time was split between avoiding the boulders Ugly threw at him when he was apparently getting 'fresh' with her, or a Rasengan through the chest when he offered a crud comment about their missing 'Sasuke-Bastard'. Let us also not forget strategically avoiding Danzo with as much skill as Kakashi-sensei had imparted on him with all his great wisdom of the art of procrastination.

When he finally did get to meet her by himself it was some time after Sakura's attempted assassination of Uchiha Sasuke. He had just left Ugly's home after once again being pushed away at the door. He wanted to stay with her, like how the books on friendship explained friends should never leave a friends side after a particularly depressing moment in life. And after coming face to face with Sakura's usually serene, spring green eyes filled with nothing he wanted to be with her even more. He didn't quite understand why he was so adamant about it, or why she so sadly sent him away. Without even accepting his green tea ice cream, sweets were suppose to help take away sad feelings right? That's what his book said.

Ice cream was supposed to make her happy again and forget about Sasuke-Bastard. Maybe even focus happy green eyes on him. He was in the mood to paint happy spring green.

Walking down the street in a confusingly sour mood he spotted Ino heading in his direction and towards Ugly's home…where she wouldn't let anyone in. Her summer blue eyes caught him and he pasted on that blank smile of his with a wave. He let her come to him and explained Ugly's behavior at the door. His confusion at why she didn't want company was clear on his face and he had no shame in voicing his misunderstanding of the situation. Beautiful's smile faded almost as quickly as it had appeared when she listened to his worries. Shapely lips pursed into a pensive line as she grabbed his arm and dragged him to the nearest restaurant where she invited him to lunch. He had to pay.

"Hey, would you say Sakura is a strong woman?" Beautiful had asked as they settled into their seats, his green tea ice cream melting beside him on the table.

"She punches boulders into pebbles." He remembered himself saying matter-of-factly. Beautiful had given him this look and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, that's not what I meant Sai. I mean, does she seem like the type where nothing depressing could every phase her?" she asked again.

Sai's answer was immediate.

"Yes."

If it wasn't Dickless and his rampant shrieks of teamwork and happiness, it was Sakura's resolute determination to keep their team together and safe that kept Team Kakashi afloat.

It took a contemplative mouthful of two slices of grilled beef and a sip on green tea before Beautiful had somehow broke his perception of Ugly's strong nature.

"She isn't…you know. Sakura may hide behind all her big words and talent…but she's still the same, scared little girl from two years ago. She has been trapped in that thirteen year old mind set ever since Sasuke left."

"I…don't understand."

Ino shrugged.

"Sakura…when we were younger always felt inferior to her team mates. Deep down, I think even Kakashi-sensei didn't see much in her. He focused mostly on his two little power houses than the little girl with almost flawless chakra control." Her blue eyes faded into a clouded blue color that made his eyebrows furrow.

"I saw what happened to her in the Forest of Death during our first Chunin exams…Sai…she almost died and I did nothing but watch her lop off her hair without batting an eyelash. And did she ever get a word of thanks from her idiot team mates? Nope. Not a one." She spat poisonously as she glared at the sizzling meat on their table. He blinked, unsure how to feel about her sudden venom for the men of Team Kakashi.

Beautiful was silent for a long time after that and he didn't know whether he should speak up about it or not.

"…Sakura just wanted acknowledgment after that…I guess a part of her still sought if from Sasuke too. Whatever he said to her must have really hit her hard if his attempt at killing her didn't." She sighed as she finally looked up to his black eyes. There was a pain in her expression he couldn't name.

"But she has you to help her through this, doesn't she? You are her friend after all." He pointed out. There was a ruthful snort from her, later on he would come to dislike the sound, it was all self-loathing in that one little sound.

"Please…I was no better than her clueless team mate's back then, maybe even worse since I never tried to fix our broken friendship until it was too late. I'm doing everything I can to make up for all those years I spent giving her life hell."

The sad smile she gave him as they bid each other farewell was the first time she took his breath away in a single sigh. He choked ever so covertly. It was the first time he really meant it when he called her Beautiful.

He met up with Kakashi-sensei and Naruto later and both called them something rude. Even if Ugly didn't know it was for her he let her punch him upside the head for discipline. Sakura was really beautiful too.

The next time he encountered Beautiful he was visiting Ugly to inform her of a mission their team was to be sent on the next day. He found her in the third floor nurses quarters red eyed and exhausted. It alarmed him and he didn't know what to do, just like the time she was depressed about her brush with death at the hands of Sasuke-Bastard. He asked what was wrong and felt his chest tighten.

Ino was in the hospital.

Her team was ambushed by a squad of Oto nin while they were on a recon mission. He team was visiting her now since their wounds were easy to heal. Sai felt like he should see her too.

He came with Sakura. The door opened with a short, audible squeak. He stared blankly at the two teenagers, Shikamaru and Chouji. He didn't care as much about them as the young woman laying in the hospital bed with an extra floral print comforter that was probably brought from her home.

Sai stayed on the other end of the room until her team mates left to rest of Sakura's orders. He gave his own team mate a blank smile and promised he wouldn't burn the room down as he watched Beautiful's shallow breaths.

Her hair was down; he frowned at the lack of its usual healthy glimmer. When he ran a hand though it like he so often did with Sakura's it was stringy. Her completion was sallow too and her lips didn't have that natural pink to them that usually played with his attention.

Sai came to realize he was uncomfortable with seeing her like this. He didn't like that her summer blue eyes that were usually so bright were closed off to him.

Sai didn't think twice when he bent down and gave her a peck on the lips.

He watched her tired eyes blink open in confusion then. He stared at her impassively and watched the expressions that crossed her face as she realized what he had done.

It was the first time she punched him in the chin and let out a string of confused curses that brought and honest smile to his thin lips.

Ugly explained to him later that despite what he read in Sleeping Beauty, beautiful women in general didn't like to be suddenly kissed without them being aware.

Sai took note to ask Beautiful permission before he kissed her again.

Sai knew he loved Ugly very much. He didn't, however, know how he felt about her pretty friend.

After Konoha was starting to settle down after the war he found his open displeasure at Sasuke-Bastard attempting small interactions with a cautious Sakura to grate on his nerves. Beautiful found it quite "cute" when he shoved a very annoyed one-armed Sasuke-Bastard away from their pink haired team mate.

Ugly would laugh at his own antics and ask him to try and be nice to the Uchiha, for her sake she said. The sour look Sasuke-Bastard always sent him at his closeness to Ugly always brought a sense of pride in his eyes.

His interactions with the beautiful childhood friend however, were awkward. Ever since his friendly, well meaning peak on the lips she had treaded lightly around him. He noted with amusement she didn't often go near him alone.

When striking up a conversation with Shikamaru over her actions during a rare game of shogi the Nara simply shrugged. Apparently, Beautiful was more confident when she took the initiative and pulled a man along rather than experience a boy make a move on her.

Sai had to read a few texts on romantic relationships to understand what the Nara meant after that.

By chance, he ran into Beautiful on the streets as he went grocery shopping for dinner. He smiled in amusement with she tensed and turned promptly to run in the opposite direction. He stopped her by grabbing her wrist just in time and let a happy chuckle escape him.

"You're very beautiful win flustered, did you know that?" he asked.

He happily likes to think that this is where their true relationship started. Beautiful stayed at his apartment for dinner that night and she let him draw sketch after pretty sketch of her to finish later.


End file.
